* * * * *

III

It was afternoon when Darragh awoke in his bunk, stiff, sore, confused
in mind and battered in body.

However, when he recollected where he was he got out of bed in a hurry
and jerked aside the window curtains.

The day was magnificent; a sky of royal azure overhead, and everywhere
the silver pillars of the birches supporting their splendid canopy of
ochre, orange, and burnt-gold.

Wier, hearing him astir, came in.

"How long have you been back! Did you meet the ladies with your
flivver?" demanded Darragh, impatiently.

"I got to Five Lakes station just as the train came in. The young
ladies were the only passengers who got out. I waited to get their two
steamer trunks and then I drove them to Harrod Place----"

"How did they seem, Ralph -- worn-out -- worried -- ill?"

Wier laughed: "No, sir, they looked very pretty and lively to me. They
seemed delighted to get here. They talked to each other in some foreign
tongue -- Russian, I should say -- at least, it sounded like what we
heard over in Siberia, Captain---"

"It was Russian. ... You go on and tell me while I take another hot
bath!----"

Wier followed him into the bath-room and vaulted to a seat on the deep
set window-sill:

"-- When they weren't talking Russian and laughing they talked to me and
admired the woods and mountains. I had to tell them everything -- they
wanted to see buffalo and Indians. And when I told them there weren't
any, enquired for bears and panthers.

"We saw two deer on the Scaur, and a woodchuck near the house; I thought
they'd jump out of the flivver----"

He began to laugh at the recollection: "No, sir, they didn't act tired
and sad; they said they were crazy to get into their knickerbockers and
go to look for you----"

"Where did you say I was?" asked Darragh, drying himself vigorously.

"Out in the woods, somewhere. The last I saw of them, Mrs. Ray had
their hand-bags and Jerry and Tom were shouldering their trunks."

"I'm going up there right away," interrupted Darragh excitedly. "--
Good heavens, Ralph, I haven't any clothes here, have I?"

"No, sir. Bu those you wore last night are dry----"

"Confound it! I meant to send some decent clothes here---- All right;
get me those duds I wore yesterday---- and a bite to eat! I'm in a
hurry, Ralph----"

He ate while dressing, disgustedly arraying himself in the grey shirt,
breeches, and laced boots which weather, water, rock, and brier